Has the
sea ice
solidified
along this
tundra
coastline? What is
happening
in the sky? Which
iconic
carnivore
needs
the Arctic
Ocean
to freeze
to avoid
starvation? Is climate
change
affecting
the
freezing
of the
Arctic
sea ice? Watch
polar bears
live on
webcams Tundra is found along
the edges of the polar deserts.
Climate change is melting the Arctic
sea ice, the essential hunting and breeding platforms for the polar bear.

The loss of the ice disrupts their ability to hunt seals, their main food source.

Some bear populations are forced to spend more time on land, which can
lead to both starvation and increased
confrontation with humans.
The Northern Lights
No. The ice has not yet
solidified along this Arctic tundra shoreline. The Polar Bear!

In regions where
the sea ice melts completely
during the summer, these bears come ashore and fast.

They wait for the winter sea ice
to return, so they can hunt and feast on their favorite prey --
SEALS. The Tundra Biome Polar Bear Webcams
Hanging out on the tundra
Waiting for the sea ice to return Which is a snowy owl? Which is a caribou? Which is a polar bear? Find the
Arctic hare Find the
emperor penguins Emperor
Penguins They live in Antarctica!
Snowy Owl Caribou or Reindeer Arctic
Fox Polar
Bear Arctic
Hare Find the
Arctic fox Which of these animals DO NOT
live on the tundra near the Arctic? What is a
cushion plant? Monkshood is amazingly common and beautiful but also deadly!
Like other Aconitum, it is highly toxic, especially its roots, seeds and flowers. Consuming as little as one gram of plant tissue may be lethal, through respiratory paralysis or heart failure. Though ingestion is the most common form of exposure, monkshood plants can kill even through contact with the skin or by inhalation! The most common plants in the tundra are lichens,
mosses, and sedges. They are well-adapted to the harsh
cold conditions of the tundra. To be precise, lichen are not
actually plants. What are lichen? Do you remember? A cushion plant is any compact, low-growing plant commonly found in both Arctic and alpine tundra around the world. Cushion refers to the shape and form of many unrelated tundra plants. This shape helps protect many species from the extreme weather. What types of
plants are most
common on the tundra? Name the
herbivore
shown here. What are
predators
of the reindeer? What flowering
plant, shown here,
can be lethal? What prevents trees
from growing on the Arctic tundra? Caribou or reindeer migrate to the tundra during the spring and summer months, where they feed on grasses, mushrooms and other plants. They migrate south as the weather cools and the snow starts to fall, moving to areas where they can continue feeding. In Alaska, many caribou prefer treeless tundra and mountains during all seasons, but other herds winter in the boreal forest (taiga). Trees cannot grow on the tundra because of the long, cold winters,
a very short growing season, poor soils and, of course, permafrost.
This permanently frozen layer of soil prevents the deep root growth necessary for large trees. The short growing season, cold temperatures, strong winds, limited nutrients in the thin layer of soil, and the lack of precipitation all contribute to the stunted vegetation. The most common predators of caribou on the tundra are wolves
and grizzly bears. Humans are significant predators, too. Wolves are highly effective hunters, particularly in groups, and target caribou, especially during winter when snow makes it easier to track and
catch them. Grizzly bears are also major predators, often targeting young caribou calves, but they also hunt adult caribou. Attribution: Крис Кирзик
Creative Commons Arctic Tundra
Vontut National Park
Yukon, Canada Is the Arctic tundra
a desert? YES!

A desert has very little precipitation,
10 inches (25 cm) or
less per year.

As the Arctic tundra averages
6-10 inches (15 to 25 cm),

IT'S A DESERT! So WHY is it SO wet?
On the tundra,

the surface layer of soil THAWS

during the short summer,

forming bogs and marshes. WHY doesn't the water
just drain into the ground? The air is DRY. WHY doesn't
the water evaporate?
The water cannot
DRAIN away.

The permafrost,
just below the thin layer of top soil, forms a permanently frozen barrier
that STOPS water from
seeping into the ground.
Remember -- it's COLD!

It seldom gets warmer than
50°F (10°C), even during the summer.

Cold temperatures SLOW evaporation. Liquid water cannot easily turn into
a vapor and evaporate away
in such cold temperatures. What do you conclude? The Arctic tundra is a
WET desert! Name 3 common
types of predators
that live here? Alpine Tundra What plant is characteristically NOT found here. Name 3 common
types of herbivores
found here? Where is Alpine tundra
located? What is
the climate
like in this biome. Does Alpine
tundra have
permafrost? Unlike Arctic tundra, alpine tundra DOES NOT typically have permafrost. Alpine tundra, which is located at high altitudes,
generally lacks this permanently frozen layer.

The soil in alpine tundra usually has better drainage than in the
Arctic tundra, which may allow for a greater diversity of plant life. Alpine tundra has short, cool summers, long, harsh winters and low precipitation. Cold temperatures and strong winds make Alpine tundra a harsh yet often spectacular place to visit. Summers at high altitudes are short; snow can persist into June with a few isolated patches remaining through the summer. July is generally the warmest month with an average high temperature of about 52°F (11°C). Large predators that live above the the treeline include grizzly bears, mountain lions, snow leopards and wolves. Smaller carnivores, such as bobcats, lynx, wolverines and coyotes, can also be found at higher altitudes. Snow leopards inhabit a vast area in northern and central Asia's high mountains, including the Himalayas. They live mostly above the tree line, up to an incredible 18,000 feet in elevation! As alpine tundra are located in widely separated mountainous regions, it should come as no surprise that there is no animal
species common to all areas. Some herbivores of alpine tundra include bighorn sheep, chinchilla, Himalayan tahr, yak and pika. Omnivores that eat both plants and other animals include the kea, mountain goats, marmots and ptarmigans. Trees! Alpine tundra DOES NOT have trees. This biome is defined as being ABOVE the treeline or timberline, and by definition is treeless.
This high-altitude tundra has such harsh conditions, including low temperatures, short growing season, strong winds and thin soils,
all of which combine together to prevent trees from growing. Alpine tundra is located on mountains worldwide. It's found at any latitude, but always at altitudes above the timberline, where NO trees
can grow. It is found in the North American Cordillera, the Appalachian Mountains, the Alps and Pyrenees of Europe, the Himalaya and Karakoram of Asia, the Andes of South America, the Eastern Rift Mountains of Africa, and the Snowy Mountains of Australia. Derived from:
Freeworldmaps.net (It is highlighted in green on the map below.) Opens in a
new tab. Follow this link and
click on the tundra HOTSPOTS,
near the top of the globe,
to tour the Arctic Tundra! This is the land of the mid-night Sun.
During the short, chilly summers (peaking at 50°F),
daylight hours are very long, with the Sun remaining
ABOVE the horizon 24 hours a day for from 2 to 85
consecutive days, depending on the latitude!

During the long, dark 8 month winter, the Sun can remain BELOW the horizon 24 hours a day for as many as 67 days
in a row and temperatures can plummet to -60°F.
Most of the Arctic tundra biome
is located above the 60th parallel North.

This treeless biome has long and cold winters,
and short mostly chilly summers.

What is most unusual about these seasons?
Above which latitude is most
of the Arctic tundra located? Where is the Arctic Tundra Located? The cold, dry Arctic air
circulating around the Poles
keeps the nearby tundra cold and dry, too. Test your KNOWLEDGE! The Arctic tundra is above the 60th parallel.
This high-latitude creates these very cold, dry conditions.

How?   First, by the limited amount of heat coming from the Sun.
            Second, by the very cold, dry air being circulated by the polar cells.
                           (Watch the videos to the right to explore more).

The polar easterlies blow that cold, dry air from the Arctic across the tundra.
Why IS the Arctic Tundra SO cold and dry?

The combination of sinking, frigid air at the poles, the low moisture content due to cold temperatures, and the influence of the polar easterlies results in the cold, dry climate of the tundra. The Arctic tundra is located at high latitudes, where the polar cells dominate. Sinking air over the poles creates high-pressure zones. Sinking air does not rise and cool, and does not form clouds or rain.

2. Low Moisture Content:

3. Polar Easterlies:
1. Polar Cells and Sinking Air:
It is COLD near the poles due to the reduced heating by the Sun on the Earth's curved surface. Cold air cannot hold much moisture. As a result, the air that sinks in the polar cells is already very dry. This adds to the dryness of the tundra.
The polar easterlies are surface winds that blow outward from the polar highs. Since they originate from areas of sinking, dry air, they blow that dry, cold air across the tundra. Opens in a
NEW       tab! Here's how it works:

The polar cells are weakening due to climate change.
There is an upward shift in its circulation.

This weakening and shift is warming the region and causing a COLLAPSE of the Arctic ice
and a greening and warming of the Arctic Tundra. Disappearing Arctic Ice Is climate change affecting
the polar vortex? What happens when
the polar vortex weakens?
YES!

Climate change is
WEAKENING
the polar vortex! The Polar "Vortex" refers to the cyclonic
(up to 250 mph or 400 km/h),
counter-clockwise swirling winds
that help keep the friged polar air
circulating around the Poles.

The jet stream acts as a boundary
between cold polar air
and warmer air from lower latitudes. The Polar Vortex A weakened Polar Vortex
allows cold Arctic air
to move southward,
causing extreme cold weather
in areas that normally have
milder winters.
How might that
affect YOU? In 2019, a weakened polar vortex
caused a deep freeze that affected
much of the United States and Canada, with windchills dropping
below -50°F in some areas.

Imagine - very hazardous conditions,
even frostbite!
Watch as the polar vortex weakens and spreads
frigid polar air down into the United States.
The Polar Vortex
and the Jet Stream